A technology organisation is urging New Zealanders to take steps to improve their cybersecurity, with a report showing nearly one-third of Kiwis don't check their privacy settings regularly.
NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller says New Zealand's reliance on the internet and digital devices has dramatically increased following COVID-19 but Kiwis aren't adjusting their behaviours around cybersecurity fast enough.
Research from Government entity CERT NZ shows 87 agree safeguarding information online is important but 40 percent said it was too inconvenient.
"The effect can be devastating from loss of personal data and identity theft to ransoms and direct monetary loss," Muller said.
He said CERT NZ's data shows thousands of New Zealanders are subject to fraud and cyber blackmail every year due to poor cybersecurity.
"NZTech's advice, like CERT NZ's message, is don’t be the 'it won’t happen to me' victim, use a password manager, keep your device software up to date and use two-factor authentication to dramatically improve your security. It's that simple."
In February, cybersecurity professionals will meet in Wellington for an annual summit to help create a more cyber-safe New Zealand.